The disclosure is directed to a spacer block for elevating a boot of a rider of a snowboard. Due to the elevation of the boot above the snowboard, the boot drag of the rider is reduced. The spacer block is installed between the snowboard and a binding system of the snowboard that secures the rider's feet to the snowboard. By adding the spacer between the snowboard and the binding system, the boots are now elevated above the snowboard, and the rider can make sharper, more angled turns without the toes or heel of their boot contacting the snow. While the application describes the spacer block to be used with a snowboard, the spacer block can be used with boards for other recreational activities where boot drag is a problem. For example, the spacer block can be used with boards for gliding on sand, or with boards for rolling on ground.

The disclosure is directed to a spacer block for elevating a boot of a rider of a snowboard. Due to the elevation of the boot above the snowboard, the boot drag of the rider is reduced. The spacer block is installed between the snowboard and a binding system of the snowboard that secures the rider's feet to the snowboard. By adding the spacer between the snowboard and the binding system, the boots are now elevated above the snowboard, and the rider can make sharper, more angled turns without the toes or heel of their boot contacting the snow. While the application describes the spacer block to be used with a snowboard, the spacer block can be used with boards for other recreational activities where boot drag is a problem. For example, the spacer block can be used with boards for gliding on sand, or with boards for rolling on ground.

The present invention comprises a fairing apparatus for a snowboard comprising a raised structure that may be positioned adjacent to the user's binding, having a geometry that deflects snow or ice away from the user's bindings and boots. In various exemplary embodiments, the raised structure may comprise two forward extending ridges located near the edges of the snowboard. In various exemplary embodiments, the forward extending ridges may extend laterally beyond the edges of the snowboard and may generate lift as the apparatus moves through snow or ice.

A snow ski assembly is provided for use by an individual to slide across a snow covered surface, for example, under the force of gravity. The assembly includes a ski having a bottom wall for engaging the snow covered surface and an upturned peripheral region extending around a perimeter of the bottom wall. The bottom wall of the ski includes at least one control structure extending across at least a portion of the bottom wall, where the at least one control structure is configured to control a movement of the ski on the snow covered surface. The assembly also includes a mounting feature configured to couple a binding to the bottom wall of the ski, such that the individual can position a foot in the binding and use the ski to slide across the snow covered surface.

A snow ski assembly is provided for use by an individual to slide across a snow covered surface, for example, under the force of gravity. The assembly includes a ski having a bottom wall for engaging the snow covered surface and an upturned peripheral region extending around a perimeter of the bottom wall. The bottom wall of the ski includes at least one control structure extending across at least a portion of the bottom wall, where the at least one control structure is configured to control a movement of the ski on the snow covered surface. The assembly also includes a mounting feature configured to couple a binding to the bottom wall of the ski, such that the individual can position a foot in the binding and use the ski to slide across the snow covered surface.

A snowboard controller includes a base placeable on an upper surface of a board for a snowboard, a plurality of joints that join the base to the upper surface of the board. The plurality of joints include one joint being a direct joint at which the base is directly joinable to the board in a rotatable manner, and other joints being indirect joints at which the base is indirectly joinable to the board with joining members. The indirect joints control bending of the board using the direct joint as a base point.

A snowboard controller includes a base placeable on an upper surface of a board for a snowboard, a plurality of joints that join the base to the upper surface of the board. The plurality of joints include one joint being a direct joint at which the base is directly joinable to the board in a rotatable manner, and other joints being indirect joints at which the base is indirectly joinable to the board with joining members. The indirect joints control bending of the board using the direct joint as a base point.

A snowboard hook including a flat bottom component, to be secured to a top surface of a snowboard, and a curved top component, wherein a bottom edge of the curved top component is orthogonally coupled to a first edge of the flat bottom component. The curved top component includes: a vertical portion, including the bottom edge of the curved top component; and a horizontal portion, wherein the horizontal portion protrudes in a curved manner from the vertical portion to an approximately horizontal position near a top edge of the curved top component.

A snowboard hook including a flat bottom component, to be secured to a top surface of a snowboard, and a curved top component, wherein a bottom edge of the curved top component is orthogonally coupled to a first edge of the flat bottom component. The curved top component includes: a vertical portion, including the bottom edge of the curved top component; and a horizontal portion, wherein the horizontal portion protrudes in a curved manner from the vertical portion to an approximately horizontal position near a top edge of the curved top component.

A system, configuration, and method for converting a pair of skis to perform as an emulation snowboard is provided. The system includes a pair of skis, and a coupling device including a platform having an upper planar surface with a plurality of mounting locations with mounting system therein. The mounting system couples the skis together and provides a surface on which a pair of bindings may be affixed. The steps for conversion include providing a pair of skis, removing a ski binding from each ski in the pair of skis, if a binding is installed on either ski in the pair of skis, providing a platform with a mounting system, utilizing the mounting system to affix the platform to each ski in the pair of skis, and attaching a pair of snowboard bindings to the platform.